emselves there
suddenly came a heavy knock at the gate.

"It is my husband, the Pasha," cried the lady. "What shall I do? If he
finds you here, he will kill you! I am so frightened."

The Hodja was frightened too. Again there came a knock at the gate.

"I have it," and taking Abdul by the arm, she said, "you must get into
the box," indicating a large chest in the room. "Quick, quick, if you
prize your life utter not a word, and Inshallah I will save you."

Abdul now, too late, saw his folly. It was his want of experience; but
driven by the sense of danger, he entered the chest; the lady locked
it and took the key.

A moment afterwards the Pasha came in.

"I am very tired," he said; "bring me coffee and a chibook."

"Good evening, Pasha Effendi," said the lady. "Sit down. I have
something to tell you."

"Bah!" said the Pasha; "I want none of your woman's talk; 'the hair of
woman is long, and her wits are short,' says the proverb. Bring me my
pipe."

"But, Pasha Effendi," said the lady, "I have had an adventure to-day."

"Bah!" said the Pasha; "what adventure can a woman have--forgot to
paint your eyebrows or color your nails, I suppose."

"No, Pasha Effendi. Be patient, and I will tell you. I went out to-day
to write a letter."

"A letter?" said the Pasha; "to whom would you write a letter?"

"Be patient," she said, "and I will tell you my story. So I came to
the box of a young scribe with beautiful eyes."

"A young man with beautiful eyes," shouted the Pasha. "Where is he?
I'll kill him!" and he drew his sword.

The Hodja in the chest heard every word and trembled in every limb.

"Be patient, Pasha Effendi; I said I had an adventure, and you did not
believe me. I told the young man that the letter was long, and I
could not stand in the street to write it. So I asked him to come and
see me this afternoon."

"Here? to this house?" thundered the Pasha.

"Yes, Pasha Effendi," said the lady. "So the Hodja came here, and I
gave him coffee and a cigarette, and we talked, and the minutes seemed
like seconds, and the hours were as minutes. All at once came your
knock at the gate, and I said to the Hodja, 'That is the Pasha; and if
he finds you here, he will kill you.'"

"And I will kill him," screamed the Pasha, "where is he?"

"Be patient, Pasha Effendi," said the lady, "and I will tell you. When
you knocked a second time, I suddenly thought of the chest, and I put
the Hodja in."

"Let me at him!" scr